Around the House

One of the things I love to do is decorate my home. I don't have alot of time during the school year when I am working full time, but have enjoyed decorating this summer. I love all things Patriotic and went "shopping" in my home with the things I already had and decorated for the 4th.

Here are a few things around the house...

I collect ivory and medium green Fiesta and this ivory vase has a crack in it, so I can only use silk flowers. This is sitting on a small table in our bay window. The old table is card table size and perfect for the 4 of us to play games on.
When Benjamin was a baby (almost 18 years ago!), I took a quilting class and this is the first item we made. I love how this looks hanging on my wall.
SHHHHH don't tell Aaron I am showing this. He had a fit when he saw me taking pictures of it. This cute clay figurine is one of his firsts and he thinks it is terrible. I love it and it is perfect sitting here with the red and blue Jelly Bellies.
This raggedy angel is hanging above the monkey/train figurine and candy.
Sitting in the other corner of the roll top desk is this little arrangements. I love raggedy ann dolls. See the star glass dish of jelly bellies? That is this year's new "treat" that I bought for myself.

Each year I buy just a little something to add to my Patriotic decor. I was at an antique store and a booth had 5 of these for $2.50 and then marked down 50%! What a deal! They are really candle holders, but it's too hot to light candles, so I thought they would make the perfect candy dishes. I can use them again at Christmas time with candles.
In the living room, I have this arrangement on a little antique dresser that used to have a towel bar (didn't when we bought it) and in the "old" days would have had a large pitcher and bowl for cleaning up.

I normally have a cream lampshade, but found this one at Goodwill for 25 cents and use it for the summer.
The "candy dish" originally had a cinnamon candle in it from Bath & Body. After the candle had burned out, I cleaned it up knowing I could use it for Valentine's Day, July and Christmas.

A fun tip: as you can see with the M & M's here and the jelly bellies in the photos above they are all red and blue. I buy M & M's when they are on sale and separate the colors. Green for St. Patrick's and Christmas, red and blue for July (as well as red for Valentine's Day and Christmas) and the yellow, orange and brown for fall. I have them separated in zip lock bags and keep them in the freezer. Then put them out in the months that the colors coordinate. My "boys" love having the candy dishes around the house. I normally don't have Jelly Bellies, but they were left over from Benjamin's graduation.
This isn't patriotic, but just had to share. This is hanging right above the photo above. Aaron had to do a self portrait in school and this is sooooo good! It looks just like him. He is so talented! I just got around to getting it framed.

My grandma made this little lap quilt and I pull it out for the 4th every year.Right beside the rocker which was a gift from my grandma and grandpa when we had Benjamin is this basket that holds my knitting needles and netting that I use to make scrubbers.
And last is this yummy treat that I made for the 4th. It is broken up oreos and pretzels. Then melt almond bark and drizzle on top, then sprinkle M & M's and patriotic sprinkles. Refrigerate until firm and break into bite size pieces.